Chile: Mapuche Block Road in Cautin and Resist Police Removal

Women’s Coordinating Committee for a Free Wallmapu, December 22nd, 2012

Mapuche burning tire road block of Dec 22, 2012.

A new confrontation between Mapuche community members and police was carried out on the Highway that unites the cities of Carahue and Nueva Imperial, in the territory of Cautin.

A group of Mapuche installed barricades on the highway blocking traffic, until the arrival of police that tried to stop the action and attack the Mapuche.

The Mapuche demonstration was defended with Molotov bombs and basic firearms, causing injury to one police officer according to the Chilean press.

The communities in the area claim this action within the framework of the territorial reclamation process being carried out throughout all Wallmapu, clearly stating that any attempt to silence the struggle by the Chilean State and its occupying forces will be resisted.

País Mapuche

Police Attack José Guiñon Community Arresting 4

December 22, 2012

A large police contingent, of National Chilean Police and Special Investigations Units, attacked the Chief José Guiñon Community in Ercilla, during the afternoon and evening on Saturday.

Members of Chilean special police force raid Mapuche community on Dec 22, 2012.

During the police operative in the community located inside the area of Pidima, the Mapuche leader Jaime Marileo Saravia was arrested, an ex Mapuche Political Prisoner who was in prison for many years for the Poluco Pidenco case.

Minutes later, recently acquitted Mapuche prisoner Jorge Mariman Lonkomilla, was also arrested. The young Mapuche spent many months in pre-trial detention and even underwent a hunger strike, before being finally acquitted.

Later on, it has been informed that a 16 year old was also arrested together with her mother, Machi Adriana Lonkomilla, whom after a few hours were released.

The other two Mapuche were taken to the Special Police Force division in Angol and will be taken to Collipulli for possible charges, without knowing the full motives of the police raid.

Public Communique

From Mapuche Territory, we inform national and international opinion that today December 22nd, at 7:30 PM, Special Police Force Units (GOPE) have carried out a raid on various homes in the Mapuche Community of José Guiñon in Ercilla.

We denounce that fully armed police personnel are terrorizing and torturing our children, pregnant women and elders though their repressive actions, through death threats made to residents at gun point for several minutes inside their homes, to later be transferred to Angol prison, without any knowledge of their charges.

This Police Contingent continues inside the Community in search of more arbitrary arrests.

Until now, we only know of the arrest and transfer of Jaime Marileo and Jorge Mariman to Angol, who have previously been persecuted and even incarcerated for many years, without concrete evidence that would have substantiated their charges.

We solicit all Peñi [Brothers] and Lamnien [Sisters] to remain alert to the actions being carried out by the Chilean State, as they continue to violate, vulnerate and harass our People that continue to struggle daily for the reclamation and liberation of our territory.

Chief José Guiñon Community

*Note: The arrest of the mother and daughter was known after the release of this statement